They were very well trained, keen to learn and competent.
Concur; We had young guys come straight out of training onto the 744 with very few hours; no hanging about for years observing on the jump seat either . Company policy was that, as PF , he even taxied the beast out to the runway and back to the stand (Captain took over for parking at AGNIS stands, but with a marshaller at a remote stand I often let them get on with it. On the whole, good lads, good operators).
(By the way, relatively speaking , a fair bit of manual flying encouraged when appropriate; company policy was--on approach ; autopilot out, auto throttle out. They coped.)